Marc-André Fleury facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marc-André Fleury
Fleury with the Vegas Golden Knights in February 2018
Born	(1984-11-28) November 28, 1984 (age 40) Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, Canada
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	Pittsburgh Penguins Vegas Golden Knights Chicago Blackhawks Minnesota Wild
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	1st overall, 2003 Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career	2003–2025

Marc-André Fleury (born November 28, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was picked first overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Fleury played for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in junior hockey for four seasons. He won awards like the Mike Bossy Trophy as the best young player and the Telus Cup as the top defensive player in 2003.

Fleury joined the Penguins in the 2003–04 season. During his 13 years with the team, he won three Stanley Cup championships in 2009, 2016, and 2017. After being chosen by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL expansion draft, Fleury played in the Finals again in 2018. He also won the William M. Jennings Trophy and the Vezina Trophy in 2021.

Fleury is one of only three goalies to reach 500 victories in the NHL. The others are Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur. He is also one of four goalies to play 1,000 games, joining Roy, Brodeur, and Roberto Luongo. Besides the Penguins and Golden Knights, Fleury also played for the Minnesota Wild and the Chicago Blackhawks. He retired with the Wild.

For his country, Fleury played for Team Canada twice as a junior. He won silver medals at the World Junior Championships in 2003 and 2004. He won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Fleury is often called "Flower" because his last name, Fleury, means "in bloom" or "in flower" in French.

Playing Career Highlights

As a young player, Fleury participated in the 1998 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.

Fleury played junior hockey for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles starting in 2000–01. After a strong 2002–03 season, he was picked first overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was only the third goalie ever chosen first overall in the NHL draft. His jersey number 29 was later retired by the Cape Breton team.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Early Years and First Stanley Cup (2003–2010)

Fleury made his NHL debut in 2003–04 at just 18 years old. He had an amazing 46 saves in his first game. He got his first NHL win on October 18, 2003, against the Detroit Red Wings. His first shutout came on October 30. He was named Rookie of the Month in October.

Marc-André Fleury in net in January 2006

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Fleury played in the American Hockey League (AHL). When the NHL returned in 2005–06, he became the Penguins' main goalie. His performance improved a lot in the 2006–07 season. He played behind a better team with rising stars like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. He won 40 games that season, joining Tom Barrasso as the only Penguins goalies to do so.

Fleury helped the Penguins reach the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals against the Detroit Red Wings. He made 55 saves in a triple overtime win in Game 5. The Penguins lost the series in six games. Fleury set a new team record with three shutouts in the playoffs that year. After the season, he signed a seven-year contract with the Penguins.

In 2008–09, Fleury helped the Penguins win their third Stanley Cup. He made many key saves throughout the playoffs. In Game 7 of the Finals against Detroit, he made two critical saves in the final seconds. This helped the Penguins win 2–1 and capture the Cup.

Marc-André Fleury with the Stanley Cup at the Pittsburgh Penguins' Stanley Cup parade on June 15, 2009

Fleury had a strong 2009–10 season. The Penguins were upset by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Later Years and More Cups (2010–2017)

In the 2010–11 season, Fleury was very important because Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were injured. He helped the team reach the playoffs. The Penguins lost in seven games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Fleury standing in net against Tyler Seguin while teammate Brooks Orpik defends during a January 2011 game

Fleury played 67 games in the 2011–12 season, winning 42 games. However, the Penguins were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Philadelphia Flyers.

In the shortened 2012–13 season, Fleury had some of his best stats. But his playoff struggles continued, and backup goalie Tomáš Vokoun took over. The Penguins lost in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Fleury in December 2014

Fleury's performance in 2013–14 was good, but the Penguins lost in the second round to the New York Rangers. On November 5, 2014, he signed a four-year contract extension. On November 24, 2014, Fleury earned his 300th NHL win. He was the third-youngest and third-fastest player to reach this milestone.

In the 2015–16 season, Fleury played well before getting a concussion. Young goalie Matt Murray stepped in and led the team to the playoffs. Fleury returned for a few games in the playoffs, but Murray remained the starter. The Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup, defeating the San Jose Sharks.

Fleury with the Stanley Cup in 2017

In the 2016–17 season, Fleury played 38 games. When Matt Murray was injured before Game 1 of the playoffs, Fleury became the starter again. He led the Penguins through the first two rounds, beating the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Washington Capitals. Murray returned for the Eastern Conference Finals, and the Penguins went on to win their second straight Stanley Cup. This was Fleury's third Stanley Cup win.

Vegas Golden Knights (2017–2021)

On June 21, 2017, Fleury was chosen by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL expansion draft. He stopped 45 shots in the Golden Knights' first NHL game, a 2–1 win. He was injured in October 2017 but returned in December. Fleury was picked to play in the 2018 NHL All-Star Game. He won the first-ever Save Streak competition, saving 14 shootout attempts in a row. On March 12, 2018, he earned his 400th career win.

Fleury was the starting goalie for the Knights in the 2018 playoffs. The Golden Knights swept the Los Angeles Kings in the first round. They then beat the San Jose Sharks to reach the Western Conference Finals. On May 20, 2018, Fleury led the Golden Knights to victory over the Winnipeg Jets, earning a chance at his fourth Stanley Cup. The Golden Knights lost to the Washington Capitals in the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals.

In the 2018 off-season, Fleury signed a new three-year contract with the Knights. In the 2018–19 season, he led the NHL in wins and shutouts. He was again chosen for the 2019 NHL All-Star Game. In Game 7 of the playoffs, the Golden Knights lost to the San Jose Sharks in a close game.

In the 2019–20 season, Fleury shared the net with Robin Lehner. Fleury played less in the 2020 playoffs as Lehner became the main starter. The Golden Knights reached the conference finals but lost to the Dallas Stars.

The 2020–21 season was a great one for Fleury. At 36, he had his best career stats with a 1.98 goals against average. He helped the Golden Knights reach the semifinals. He was named to the Second All-Star Team and won his first Vezina Trophy and William M. Jennings Trophy.

Chicago Blackhawks (2021–2022)

On July 27, 2021, Fleury was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. He was the first goalie since Dominik Hašek to be traded after winning the Vezina Trophy. Fleury was not told about the trade by the Golden Knights and heard about it on social media. He thought about retiring but decided to play for the Blackhawks.

After a tough start for the team, Fleury got his first win as a Blackhawk on November 1, 2021. On December 9, he reached his 500th win in a shutout against the Montreal Canadiens. He became only the third goalie in NHL history to do so. On January 8, 2022, Fleury became the first goalie in NHL history to beat all 32 teams.

Minnesota Wild and Retirement (2022–2025)

On March 21, 2022, Fleury was traded to the Minnesota Wild. The Wild's general manager, Bill Guerin, was Fleury's former teammate. Fleury made his debut with the Wild on March 26, winning in overtime. He had a good record with the Wild in the regular season. He started the playoffs, but the Wild were eliminated in six games.

On July 7, 2022, Fleury signed a two-year contract to stay with the Wild. On October 30, he set a new NHL record for career shootout wins. On December 31, 2023, Fleury played his 1,000th NHL game, becoming only the fourth goalie to reach this mark. On January 15, 2024, he became the second-winningest goalie in NHL history with his 552nd win.

On April 9, 2024, the Wild missed the playoffs, ending Fleury's 17-year playoff streak. On April 17, he signed a one-year extension with the Wild, saying he would retire at the end of the 2024–25 season. He played his last regular-season game on April 15, 2025, earning his 575th career win. Fleury played his final NHL game in Game 5 of the Wild's first-round playoff series on April 29, 2025. This was his 18th playoff appearance, a new record for goalies. The Wild were eliminated, and Fleury received a special send-off from both teams and fans. He was a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, an award for perseverance and dedication to hockey.

Even after retiring, five teams called Fleury's agent on July 1, 2025, offering him contracts to play in the 2025–26 season.

International Play

Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
Winter Olympics
Gold	2010 Vancouver
World Junior Championships
Silver	2003 Canada
Silver	2004 Finland

Fleury won two silver medals with Team Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championships. In 2003, he was named the Top Goaltender and tournament MVP.

In 2004, Fleury played for Team Canada again. He made a mistake in the gold medal game that led to a goal for Team USA, and Canada lost.

On December 30, 2009, Fleury was named to Team Canada for the 2010 Winter Olympics. He did not play in the tournament, but he still received a gold medal when Canada won.

After retiring from the NHL in 2025, Fleury announced he would join Team Canada for the 2025 IIHF World Championship. This event was a reunion with his former Penguins teammate Sidney Crosby.

Personal Life

Fleury with his daughter Estelle after the Penguins' 2017 Stanley Cup win in Nashville

Marc-André Fleury was born in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, Canada. His parents are André and France Fleury. He has a younger sister named Marylène.

When he was first drafted, he lived with hockey legend Mario Lemieux for a short time.

Fleury married Véronique Larosee in 2012. They have two daughters and a son. Véronique has Abenaki and Mi'kmaq heritage. In November 2023, the NHL did not allow Fleury to wear a special mask honoring his wife's heritage. Despite this, he wore the helmet during warm-ups.

Fleury's nickname is "Flower," which comes from the French meaning of his last name. His goaltender masks often feature a fleur-de-lis (a French symbol that looks like a lily or iris) and sometimes other flowers.

Career Statistics

Bold indicates led league

International Play Statistics

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2003	Canada	WJC			5	5	0	0	267	7	1	1.57	.927
2004	Canada	WJC			5	4	1	0	299	9	1	1.81	.920
2025	Canada	WC	5th		3	2	1	0	185	3	0	0.97	.944
Junior totals					10	8	2	0	566	16	2	1.69	.924
Senior totals					3	2	1	0	185	3	0	0.97	.944

Awards and Honours

Fleury accepting the 2009–10 Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Good Guy Award

See also

In Spanish: Marc-André Fleury para niños